State officials and the Effingham Industrial Development Authority are welcoming a large Chinese firm to Effingham County, after an announcement Thursday that the company would open a headquarters and manufacturing plant in Effingham.

Gov. Nathan Deal will lead a high-level delegation of state of Georgia officials and business leaders to China and Japan from Aug. 22-30. The mission will visit Shanghai, Qingdao and Jinan in the People's Republic of China as well as Tokyo. Delegates will meet with prominent members of government and corporate communities to explore business, trade and tourism opportunities.

ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that Georgia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 8.8 percent in July. The rate was three-tenths of a percentage point higher than the revised 8.5 percent in June, but three-tenths of a percentage point lower than 9.1 percent in July a year ago.

Effingham Health System announces the addition of a Toshiba Vantage Titan MRI System. The new MRI will offer EHS patients the opportunity to experience more comfortable magnetic resonance imaging exams, and higher-quality results.

ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Labor announced the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December was 6.9 percent, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 7.2 percent in November. The rate in December 2013 was 7.4 percent.